The huge response even surpasses Treble Cone Ski Area's proposed gondola, which attracted 938 submissions in 2006. By the close of business yesterday, about 830 submissions had been counted by Lakes Environmental staff, with a large number still to be processed, planning process manager Rachel Beer said.
The final tally was expected to be about 1000, with all but one submission in support of the proposal, which would see the cinema operation relocate to the former church from its present site in Ardmore St.
A member of Wanaka's New Life Church objected on the grounds the church group was using the former Catholic church at present - the first time in more than 30 years it had had a dedicated building for worship.
Cinema operator Calum McLeod said he had offered to share space at the former Catholic church building with the New Life Church.
"It's not a question of because we're going in, we're going to exclude the church. No-one would be happier than myself if we could come to some arrangement," Mr McLeod said.
He said the immense show of public support was "very, very humbling" and showed the Wanaka community had "adopted the cinema" as its own.
"Just reading it all [the submissions] is such a positive reinforcement that you're not actually alone in the whole process."
Attempts to relocate the cinema have already spanned five years and cost nearly $150,000.
In 2007, Mr McLeod's company, Calmac Ltd, was denied resource consent to build a two-screen cinema and "flashpacker" accommodation on a three-lot site at the intersection of State Highways 84 and 6 at the eastern approach to Wanaka.
Varina Property Ltd, a company directed by Duffy Krook, of Australia, owns the former Catholic church.
The company applied for land-use consent in December to relocate Cinema Paradiso there.
A hearing for the cinema proposal will be held on November 30.
